Understanding pedestrian traffic patterns

Wayfinding Signs & Platform Identification

During the refurbishment of King’s Cross St Pancras Station, passengers were subject to increased visual and navigational disorientation. There was disruption to their familiar routes learnt over many years. For example, the updated staircase into the concourse orientates 70%* of the public at right angles to the original wayfinding sign layout. This, plus the remaining old out dated signs, hoardings, graphic media competed with the additional directional signs meant to help them.

The Input Group strive to minimise uncertainty and design out confusion during the building work. This is achieved by providing clear, consistent directional information.These are the key elements of our passenger focused approach to wayfinding and signage.

PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC

Understanding pedestrian traffic patterns is key to anticipating route pattern changes due to the station’s alterations. Unless passengers already know their departure platform they will need to get confirmation from the CIF displays.

Therefore all passengers need this primary information before they can search for the actual platform required. As 70% of passengers arrive via the underground additional departure screens in the subway will aid this initial decision making process.

Producing clarity

Providing the travelling public with the right information at the right time is vital to them being able to make informed decisions about their best choice of route to their platform.

Changes to existing wayfinding routes will change and are inevitable. The use of repetitive information causes unnecessary visual clutter and should be removed or simplified. Anticipating changes and having a rolling programme of route updates, ready for installation on the day, minimises disruption.

Careful positioning, sign clarity and information is vital to the decisions that passengers make and the route they will take

Once the required platform is known, directional signs leading from the hot spots will confirm the route required. At the next hot spot the directional information will be confirmed again.

During the building work temporary signs limit the ability of passengers to pick a route with certainty. Authoritative signs positioned at the strategic hot spots, they can proceed with confidence.

Information should be provided in a clear, logical manner that is prioritised in size and order according to passengers’ primary concerns. Secondary information should not detract from the main navigation.

King’s Cross platforms are numbered in the opposite direction to our normal way of reading and counting. By signing Platform 0 in the same way as 2 and 1 there is no doubt where Platform 0 is.

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